Live Birds Going Into Trash at Qwest Center Omaha?

"Hopefully it’s dead."

These simple words are very telling in regards to the ongoing bird strike situation at the Qwest Center Omaha.

This morning – 15 Sep 2009 – just after having taken a picture of a another warbler carcass at the glass wall on the west side of the Qwest Center Omaha, a security man came up and made the above comment when he picked up the carcass of a warbler so it could be thrown into the trash. The comment was heard but I was so dumbfounded that I asked what twice – because a skycrane was running a short ways away and making a bunch of noise – so he said wait a moment, and once the warbler was in the trash receptacle he came back and repeated the statement. He added: "Sometimes they flop around."

What this indicates to me is that the guard – a person hired by Qwest Center Omaha officials - is doing just as the officials told the company to do each morning, based on my asking the guy a few questions. He said they are supposed to throw away any birds they find and this is being done first thing in the morning and again at 7 a.m.

The disgusting thing this indicates is that all birds are probably being thrown into the trash. This could likely include live birds, which were stunned and disabled upon striking the glass wall along the west side of the Qwest Center Omaha and had not yet recovered to a degree sufficient enough to escape. With sunrise coming later the possibility of stunned birds being present is very likely. And I read yesterday, that rails can be stunned for hours before they may recover so they may seem dead but are actually not.

The despicable thing this also point to is the sorry depths Qwest Center Omaha officials will go to avoid taking any responsibility for the more than 200 bird strikes at this building in 18 months. There were five carcasses today. There were nine carcasses yesterday morning, left over from the weekend.

The Fish and Wildlife Service asked Qwest Center Omaha officials a year ago – at a meeting and in a letter – to address the situation. The request was ignored.

Back in June, when I asked Roger Dixon, the director of the facility to comment on the many bird strikes/deaths occurring, he responded with [this in an email]:

"Last year you were observed by a key staff person of MECA taking a bird carcass from a bag and placing it on the ground, then taking a photograph of this bird claiming it had flown into our facility. It is apparent you have no problem in staging so called "bird takings" due to our facility. You have no credibility, and so I will no longer respond to your inquiries."

This is a blatant lie as it has no truth. I have never staged a bird strike occurrence so this comment is slander!

And the most recent action to having a security firm deal with the bird carcasses lying about means Qwest Center Omaha can place any blame for illegally handling birds or carcasses onto a third party, the security firm.

Based on the time last autumn when FWS officials that grilled me on whether I had a permit to handle or possess migratory birds, it would seem that anyone handling a bird that is alive or dead would need to have a permit.

The security guard was not aware of this as no one had informed him of this until I mentioned it this morning, and suggested he contact the FWS for further information. I’m sure the FWS officials will say that no permit is required to throw away a dead bird.

I sure wonder how the FWS would respond to live birds getting thrown into the trash. Perhaps the birds may recover soon enough to fly out the portal, but perhaps the bag gets taken out, closed up and a bird would get KILLED.

By the way, the only birds I may handle are disabled birds which may be picked up and moved to a safer place so they don’t get run over and smashed or killed when crushed by an ignorant pedestrian. Sure I should have a permit, but I don’t and won’t because in my view, I do not any permit from any agency in order to help an injured bird.

(I consider the FWS hypocrites because they only selectively enforce the taking aspect of the MBTA. This is discriminatory and means that millions and millions of birds die because the agency does nothing about bird strikes. Yet they will fine an energy company hundreds of thousands of dollars for a few eagle deaths (not to demean eagles but to indicate the selective enforcement.) which is a regular practice of the agency. If it was me, I wouldn't pay any fine because you can't charge one entity with a knowing violation, and ignore many others with known violations based on the same law.)

So the birds continue to strike the glass wall at the Qwest Center Omaha and die with great regularity as autumn migration is underway.

Yet nothing is being done.

Qwest Center Omaha officials are apparently doing whatever they can to avoid any responsibility.

The FWS – in this case I call the agency the Federal Whatever Service – has not followed through to get something done at the Qwest Center Omaha. There has been no public sentiment expressed by people interested in birds – other than me – about the essential need to reduce bird strikes in Omaha.

The whole situation at the Qwest Center Omaha is despicable! It is deplorable the misery and pain the injured and dead birds suffer after striking something when the situation could be changed and there could be a great reduction in strikes.

But someone has to do something first ...

And for those who say I should quit whining and do something about it, perhaps you could ask officials at Creighton and the Central Park Plaza about recent contact I've made with them. Or perhaps you can take a look at the OPPD building and see where they have put up screening on some windows and how this has helped to reduce mortality (and I would be remiss in taking any claim for this as one FWS person did inform them of my findings so something was done this spring. I am continuing to keep them informed about recent strikes.) Or ask Union Pacific (with nearly 50 strikes at the UP Center) why they aren't doing anything and yet when they were informed of the situation, they expressed a cavalier attitude when the situation was discussed with them yesterday.

If you are not helping the situation, you have no basis for throwing accusations at me.

Two dead warblers as seen on the morning of 15 Sep 2009. This image was included with the above email sent to federal officials and the NEBirds forum.

Billy Marsh a Prominent Member of Omaha's Historic Bird Enthusiasts

In considering essentials of the bird history for the Omaha vicinity, there are the obvious two men with their prominence as news men writing their regular articles for the local papers. Less obvious was a local resident and family man, that nonetheless had a profound role among the regular watchers of birds at the various wild places formerly present around the river city.

Billy Marsh was known by Sandy Griswold and Miles Greenleaf. The latter wrote about Marsh's 50th birthday in 1917, and also featured the bird watcher in a "Bird Lore" column in an August 1931 issue of the Omaha Bee-News. The words he wrote which were in the paper may have changed during the passing years, but the essential, yet vital aspect of the character had not changed.

"More than 20 years ago there was an aggregation of comparatively young men who strode forth each Sunday on West Center street, rain or shine, winter or summer, to get great gulps of fresh air and to broil steaks and other larder over hardwood coals in Paddock's grove. A very popular member of this party, and considerably the most advanced in years — although that would be hard to prove even now — was Billy Marsh.

"In that outfit of hoofers were to prominent Omaha attorneys, a nationally known New York journalist, a millionaire, Billy Marsh and the author of these lines. There were 'strays' from time to time — but the aforementioned comprised the regular crew."

Greenleaf described Mr. Marsh as a "bird-nut," always carrying a pair of field glasses and the requisite note book for taking notes, a habit that originally started in 1886, and described by Greenleaf back in 1917.

"And those bird records, day by day, sweltering summer or howling blizzard — have been kept up through all these years by Billy Marsh and can be seen today at his home at 4157 Davenport Street. He is a successful and retired business man but the birds are still his buddies."

The sighting of a lark during a "mean January" was definitely "something" Greenleaf wrote with an understanding of this bit of significance.

"So Billy Marsh commenced in untold wonders — and has been doing so ever since. He never urges anybody to study birds. All he says, when he finds someone who appreciates the pleasure and value of walking, is" — "'If you like walking — birds add so much to the hike!'"

Greenleaf mentioned that he learned his own birding skills — which became a prominent subject for his extensive writings — from Marsh, as well as Dr. Solon R. Towne and aided by Prof. Myron Swenk.

Though Billy Marsh has not ever been a person featured in the bird history for Nebraska as presented by the state's ornithological society, his legacy is prominent in its own unique, and subtle fashion. Certainly if his notebooks were known, they would tell of bird species and places where they would never been seen during the historic era. The notes would convey features of natural history that will never again be a part of any outdoor enthusiasts time under the open skies.

The bit of written information available, conveys the efforts of a man dedicated to knowing the birds, and getting others involved in their study and appreciation. It is hard to fathom the many Sunday walks and the observations appreciated to an extent that so many notes were kept on the observations of such a multitude of outings.

The diminutive Marsh was a "big man" in the history of bird study for Nebraska, though his legacy has been little known and celebrated.

Billy Marsh Birdologist and His Notebook

Forty Years' Study of Wild Life Around Omaha.

By Miles Greenleaf.

"I consider Mr. Marsh the best posted man on small birds and wild bird life in this part of the country, although he may have competitors unknown to me. It is certain, however, that Mr. Marsh's deep interest in the welfare of our feathered friends has resulted in great good to the entire community, for his converts are many. For this we owe him a considerable debt of gratitude." - Dr. Solon R. Towne, President of the Nebraska Audubon Society.

Next Wednesday, November 14, "Billy" Marsh will celebrate his fiftieth anniversary. He will celebrate it by going out into the woods somewhere and mixing up with nature. Since he does that same thing every day of his life, his semicentennial trek will be nothing new.

Although a member of the Nebraska Audubon society, and in good standing, he has never attended a meeting and displays his remarkable interest in the birds by mingling with them, yet there has never been a time when funds were needed for bird conservation that Billy's check book was not unsheathed.

Ever since he was old enough to trudge alone through the woods or over the fields in an around Omaha, Billy has kept a complete record of the birds he saw on such expeditions, and these old records, now in precious possession of his wife, are convincing evidence of the sincerity of his love for the songsters.

Began at 10 Years.

The first bird record was taken by Billy Marsh when he was 10 years old, but the beginning of his complete data on such trips came in 1883, when at the age of 16. This and succeeding censuses taken for several years included - think it of Marsh! - not only the names of the birds seen, but also the number of eggs taken from nests! He blushes when shown those records now, but, as he explains:

"Every boy was collecting eggs in those days, and nobody ever tried to have us stop it. All I can say in my own defense is that I only took one from each nest, and did it with a spoon, so that the human odor might not cause the old birds to leave."

The youthful Marsh made his records in an old-fashioned "composition book," and they were kept up, day by day, until the end of the month, when the account was totalled to show the number of varieties and the number of specimens seen or taken.

In Billy's Note Book.

In these old composition books are notations to tickle the memories of other "old-timers" of Omaha, for some of the spots mentioned by Billy during his ornithological tramps have long since been forgotten by those titles.

For instance, there was "the Island" - known thus to every outdoor lad of thirty-five years ago, and which was a strip of land cut off by the Missouri river near where the east end of the Locust street viaduct now touches. Billy is still tramping that locality, although the "Island" has since lost its identity. He has a "shack" on Carter lake and prowls the underbrush in search of strange birds almost every weekday. Sundays, it must be explained, he investigates Elmwood park and the Pappio creek district.

Then there was "Redick's Grove" - where a youthful Marsh made many an iniquitous haul of eggs for his collection. This forest centered at the spot now occupied by the Clarinda Apartments at Farnam Street and Turner Boulevard and extended all along the creek once once running through that territory, clear and beyond the present Leavenworth Street.

Extending south from Leavenworth, as it now lies, and west from Twentieth street to the crest now occupied by Hanscom park, was another "jungle" beloved of the boys of Marsh's character, and they called it "Brewery Woods," according to Billy's bird book. There used to be an old brewery in the middle of these woods from which they got their now prohibited monicker.

"Whitney's Woods" was another paradise for the bird lovers of that day, and it covered that part of present Omaha centering in the tract recently given to the city by Dr. Harold Gifford for a public playground, lying between Davenport and Cass streets, Thirty-third to Thirty-fifth. Here, as in other now heavily populated "wildernesses," was nothing at all but nature, for but very few hardy pioneers had moved out "so far from town," when Billy Marsh was a boy.

Among other entries are those of explorations at "Griffin's Farm," which lay about half a mile southwest of the Field Club of today, and at Lyon's Inn. It would appear that Billy's spelling was at fault in the later item, for the Lion Inn was on Center street more than a quarter century ago, near the present entrance to West Lawn cemetery, and had the big figure of a lion hanging outside as a sign. It backed up into deep woods full of birds and nests.

Poor Farm Woods.

Then there was "The Graveyard" - Twenty-fifth and St. Mary's avenue; the Cottonwoods" - probably lying along the river down south; the "Poor Farm Woods" - where the north section of the Field club golf links now extend, but which was than a trackless forest; the "Deaf and Dumb Woods" - near the present site of that institution - and many other localities mentioned in Mr. Marsh's first bird hunt records.

While the youthful Billy was laying the foundation of his present startling knowledge of birds and their habits, he accumulated one of the best collections of eggs to be found in Nebraska, but he isn't bragging about it much. The collection still is in his home at Forty-second and Davenport streets, but seldom sees the light o' day.

But while these eggs were being gathered the knowledge thus acquired has made him an authority, and so he feels it might be forgiven. Among the nests seldom found in these parts, but discovered by young Marsh were those of the Swamp Sparrow and Golden Crowned Thrush. The latter, better known as the Oven Bird, is often heard in the woods in summer, but seldom seen, and so cleverly hides its nest that few are ever discovered.

Some of the old fashioned names for common birds noted in Marsh's first records are interesting to amateur ornithologists of today, having long since been discarded. There is the "Black Throated Bunting" - now the Dickcissel; the "Yellowbird" - now the Yellow Warbler; and the "Crow Blackbird" - now the Bronzed Grackle. Grass Finch, Lark Finch and Titmouse are names you seldom hear about Omaha nowadays - but Little Billy found 'em.

His Museum at Home.

The inside of Billy Marsh's room in his present home looks like that of some great bird museum. The walls are covered with photographs taken by himself of birds, nests and eggs, while there are scores of specimens of the birds and their nests - the latter only taken when the songsters have finished with them.

Himself an ardent hunter in season, Mr. Marsh is rampant on the subject of bird protection and conservation. Not only will he not shoot a single shell except in accordance with the governmental laws on the subject, but stands willing to "turn up" anybody who does, friend or foe. And yet he is one of the best wing shots in Nebraska.

The birds are Bill's best friends, and in the winter, when he is taking suet around the woods to place in the "station" provided by him for the feathered folk of that season - they seem to know him and follow him like pets through the glades.

Although he collected eggs in his youth, you can bet that his sons don't! They have been taught differently. The oldest Harry, is in the officers' training school at Fort Omaha and the youngest, Billy Jr., is of just the age of his father when Billy, Sr., started his first bird records. And Billy, Jr., is doing likewise. Flora, the daughter, a young Brownell Hall miss, spends most of her spare time outdoors - again like her daddy.

William Marsh is 50 years old next Wednesday - but he acts more like 15 - for which fact he thanks the outdoors and the fresh air. And as far as his enviable record as a natural historian is concerned, you would never have learned even as much as is included in this story except by the stealth and underhanded ways of the writer - for Billy never talks about himself.

November 11, 1917. Omaha Sunday World-Herald 53(6): 1-M.

Update of World Bird Names Released

A new version of the list of names for world birds has been released and continues to present prominant advances in understanding the taxonomic relationship for the earths avifauna.

"World Bird List 2.2 contains 10,347 species classified in 39 Orders, 224 Families (+6 Incertae sedis) and 2197 Genera," according to the website of the International Ornithological Committee. Thirteen species had been added, and six deleted as they were determined to be extinct.

The "alignments of New Guinea bird names with the preferences of the working group of experts," Gill noted as being one of the more significant changes in the update. Phil Gregory, was especially helpful with doing changes for the new version, with contributions on "a master list of the birds of New Guinea and Bismarck Archipeligo."

The biggest challenge: "Restructuring the classification of babblers including Sylviidae babblers and white-eyes based on major DNA papers, but only to a provisional working list that is now getting helpful feedback," Gill said in an email. The bird list presents a provisional classification of these species, with further features needing to be considered in their taxonomy.

And, the taxonomy of the trogons was resequenced in the manner typical to the regular updates of classification, released by any ornithological authority.

As for the next list of the proper names for world birds, "Lots to go!!," Gill said in reference to the need to be adding new species.

Scoping Meetings Discuss Future of Missouri River Ecosystem

Scoping meetings held during August and early September from Helena, Montana to Saint Charles, Missouri are facilitating discussions about the future of the Missouri River and restoration of its associated environs.

At the meeting held at Omaha, Nebraska on August 31, officials of the Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) and Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) presented a summary of activities associated with the Missouri River Ecosystem Restoration Plan.

A representative of the FWS opened the meeting held at the University of Nebraska at Omaha campus. Included in the attendees were a number of ACE staff to provide further information, answer questions and record comments by those present at an afternoon and evening session. Several members of the implementation committee were also present.

The motto of the program: One River - One Vision, has a "mission statement" of taking a "collaborative approach to develop a single, comprehensive and integrated plan for Missouri River mitigation, recovery and restoration" across a ten-state region of the north-central U.S.

Planning also involves 29 American Indian tribes which have reservations in the river basin.

FWS Presentation

Wayne Nelson-Stastny, with the FWS, spoke first, describing key facets of the Missouri River and its expansive basin. Among the important points were the human changes to the riverine channel due to development which dates as far back as the early 1830s when snags were removed to facilitate steamboat travel, followed by authorization and construction of a navigation channel, construction of several dams to control flows and other dramatic efforts which permanently altered the character of the river and its floodplain.

The ecosystem restoration plan is the resulted of federal legislation enacted in December 2007, which has three primary goals, to mitigate for the drastic changes to the river environs, recover from these alterations and to "restore the ecosystem to prevent further declines of native species."

"We need to look backward to understand the river's past," Nelson-Stastny said, and "look forward to understand restoration."

There are four key aspects to the plan:

1). Consider ongoing programs and actions related to mitigation, recovery and restoration;

2). Identify priorities for mitigation, recovery and restoration;

3). Outline a long-term adaptive management approach for restoration of the river; and

4). Guide future program and site-specific action development.

Science and the public need to drive this effort, Nelson-Stastny said. The plan, targeting management of the river for the next 30-50 years, "cannot be developed in a good way without input from the public." Any efforts need to be "sustainable decisions."

Phases of the Plan

The restoration plan is being done in different phases, spread across an 8-10 year planning process, with the four distinctive phases being:

1). Initiate Planning - scheduled to be completed in 2009; the scoping meetings are the primary facet of this phase.

2). Study affected environment - completed in 2012

3). Consider alternatives - completed in 2014

4). Select a plan and develop a draft environmental impact statement which will undergo a public review, with a subsequent final EIS; completed in 2016.

Each of these primary phases include distinct steps towards achieving the end result.

The effort is currently in Step 2 of Phase One: establish the study rationale and focus, as presented by Randy Sellers, a project leader from the Omaha District of the Corps of Engineers. Other project leaders include Jennifer Switzer, from the ACE Kansas district, and Nelson-Stastny, representing the FWS.

The public scoping meetings are an opportunity for interested parties to "look at things systematically - from a holistic perspective," Sellers said.

The period to provide comments on the initial phase of this program is December 1, 2009.

Additional information on the project are available at a regularly updated website.

The cost of this endeavor is about $4-4.5 million per year, Sellers said.

Further Meetings to Discuss River Future

Two additional public scoping meetings on the future of the Missouri River have been scheduled. One will be held September 17 at the Harper Center, Creighton University in Omaha and another September 18, at the Sioux City Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center.

The meetings are meant to facilitate "public discussion, deliberation and input" from Iowa and Nebraska residents. A summary of the discussions will be provided to the Corps of Engineers for consideration in further planning.

Both meetings will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and anyone attending must be able to be present the entire scheduled time. Pre-registration is required to attend, and can be made by contacting Stephen Perigo at 402.238.4156 for the Omaha meeting, and HShew at 402.280.2646 for the meeting at Sioux City. There is no fee to attend, and lunch will be provided.

This article was originally published at www.bloggernews.net.

August 2009 Bird Strikes at Omaha Surpass Tally From 2008

August of 2009 was a much deadlier month for birds at Omaha. There were a substantially greater number of known bird strikes, with 54 noted, compared to 29 in 2008.

Julian Date	Aug 2008	Aug 2009
213	-	1
214	-	1
220	-	2
221	3	-
224	-	2
226	-	1
229	-	4
230	1	-
232	-	2
233	-	1
234	2	-
235	-	3
236	4	2
238	6	5
239	3	7
240	-	14
241	4	3
242	-	5
243	-	1
244	6	-

With a protocol which meant an irregular schedule due thunderstorms on 2-3 mornings, being out-of-town, or when the occurrence of strikes was reduced, some times a look-about was done only every other day, so there were probably twice as many strikes in comparison to last year.

The following is a comparison of the days during August in 2008 and 2009 when bird strikes were known to have occurred.

The deadliest day for birds during the month was when there were ca. 40,000 Purple Martins at the Martin Mecca Midtown at the Nebraska Medical Center Campus. Based on repeated observations at this roost, the birds using the locality seemed to be newly arrived and not familiar with the setting. Three-fourths of the strikes noted at this particular event, resulted in the mortality of the bird. While trying to move some disabled birds from the driveway so that they would not be run over by vehicular traffic, other birds struck the walkway glass and fell to the pavement.

Qwest Center Continues as a Deadly Place for Birds

Although the extent of strikes is skewed towards the multitude of martins at the roost (where the building owners quickly undertook some initiative to address the situation), the Qwest Center Omaha continues to be the deadliest building on Omaha for migratory birds, with at least a dozen more birds dying at the west side of this structure - comprised of a glass wall - which can obviously be called a "wall of death" for birds because of the endless and ongoing number of strikes known to occur, with 180 documented through the end of the month, with 46 species that are known to have hit the glass.

Building officials have done nothing to address the situation at this publicly-owned building, and have actually ignored U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service requests to address the issue to reduce or prevent mortality of birds protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, an international treaty meant to protect birds, but which in the case of bird-strikes, its provisions are being ignored.

Building	Aug 2008	Aug 2009
1200 Landmark Center	1	4
Central Park Plaza	-	1
First National Tower	-	2
Gottschalk Freedom Center	4	-
Harper Center, Creighton University	-	1
Holland Center for Performing Arts	-	3
Kiewit-Clarkson Skywalk	15	19
Kiewit-Clarkson South Skywalk	-	2
Omaha Public Power District Energy Plaza	-	2
Qwest Center Omaha	7	13
Redfield & Company Building	-	1
Union Pacific Center	1	4
Zorinsky Federal Building	-	2

Greater Extent of Species

There was also an increase in the number of species noted during August in 2009, with 17 species noted, in comparison to 11 during the month a year ago.

Species Name	Aug 2008	Aug 2009
Sora	-	1
Mourning Dove	1	5
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	-	2
Common Nighthawk	1	-
Chimney Swift	2	-
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	-	1
Willow Flycatcher	-	1
Purple Martin	15	21
Black-capped Chickadee	-	1
House Wren	1	-
Yellow Warbler	-	2
American Redstart	-	1
Ovenbird	1	-
Northern Waterthrush	1	2
Mourning Warbler	3	2
Common Yellowthroat	-	1
Hooded Warbler	1	-
Wilson's Warbler	1	5
Dickcissel	-	1
Common Grackle	-	6
Orchard Oriole	-	1
House Finch	1	-
American Goldfinch	-	1

The Black-capped Chickadee, found mid-month as a carcass at the Qwest Center Omaha, had not been previously noted as the victim of a bird strike. Neither had the Orchard Oriole, found at the same building early in the month.

The same general method has been used each of two months being considered, with the same localities visited - including a greater focus on what may be happening at the Nebraska Medical Center Campus - in order to evaluate which species and how many strike Omaha buildings. The observed results of the strikes - mostly bird carcasses - have been photographed to document the occurrence.

Each strike noted since May 2008 has been a violation of the taking provision of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which in each case is not being enforced by the responsible federal agency ... the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which has repeatedly and consistently ignored this cause of bird mortality.

As of August 31, 2009, there have been 609 known bird strikes in east Omaha, although the extent of the bird strikes is undoubtedly much greater, but not known due to the drastic limitations and lack of resources required to conduct more expansive surveys that would better indicate the overall numbers of birds that have been struck dead in Omaha.

And... the bird strikes will continue unabated in the river city and elsewhere.

Several Severe Thunderstorms Impact Sandhills Flora and Fauna

Several severe weather events including thunderstorms with large hail, damaging winds and tornadoes have had local impacts on flora and fauna in the sandhills of northern Nebraska.

There has been one or more storm each month during June through August.

At Valentine NWR south of Valentine in Cherry county, "We have now had three hailstorms in this area for the summer that lasted long enough/had large enough hail to cause damage," said Mel Nenneman, a Fish and Wildlife Service biologist at the refuge.

After the June 13th storm, he observed some dead birds, including the Mourning Dove, Barn Swallow and Eastern Kingbird, all in the vicinity of the refuge headquarters. "No surveys were conducted after the storms went through, and there were no dead waterbirds observed, but we didn't have time to go look everywhere.

"I have not observed any dead birds from the most recent storm (August 9th), but the worst of the hail did not hit the refuge," Nenneman said. "Our maintenance man indicated that the area just west of the refuge was hit hard enough that all the vegetation is beat down, broken off, or stripped of leaves. This damage is similar to damage observed after the 13 June hailstorm that hit the refuge in a couple of places.

"While I don't have a widespread survey or good numbers on bird mortalities from these storms, the observations of dead birds after the June storm would suggest that there was very likely some bird mortality from this most recent storm, especially in the area west of the refuge. Given the nature of the damage to vegetation (west of here in the most recent storm, two areas on the refuge in the June storm), any bird caught in the path of the severe hail would be very lucky to survive, unless they were able to hunker down in a plum thicket or cedar tree."

Weather Reports

The North Platte office of the National Weather Service typically prepares a summary report following severe weather. They include known instances of precipitation amounts, wind and hail. If tornado damage is reported, office staff may visit the affected area to investigate further, and may include pictures of the damage.

"We’ve had a lot of severe weather this summer," said Debra Blondin, a meteorologist in the North Platte office. "It is relatively unusual to have the severe weather continue to occur at this frequency for this long into the summer season. Part of the reason for this is that a very strong upper level low pressure remained stationary over the Great Lakes region keeping western Nebraska under a northwest to southeast oriented jet stream. This ‘northwesterly flow’ is usually a very active pattern for us. It is also a ‘cooler’ pattern because it allows the cooler air from Canada to filter into the area. Normally by late June and early July, the jet stream is into North Dakota and southern Canada leaving western Nebraska in hot and dry conditions."

June Storm Reports

Severe weather on June 13 including extensive rain, strong winds, hail and a tornado. Rainfall amounts varied from one to three inches in the Cherry county area. Winds reached 30 mph.

Hail varied from pea-sized at south of Valentine and north of Elsmere; marble-sized south of Cody; quarter-sized southwest of Valentine, in the refuge area; and one-inch diameter in the same vicinity. A tornado was report south of Merritt Reservoir.

A graphic map of this information shows the areas of the severe weather.

Image of the Crookston supercell, as shown at the National Weather Service web site.

July Weather

On July 16, an EF2 tornado with winds reaching 118 m.p.h. was reported south of Crookston. "Numerous large tree limbs were snapped off throughout" the Robert Kruger ranch, the weather service reported. Building damage was also noted.

Southern Cherry county and Hooker County had a severe storm on July 23rd, with a second storm in the eastern sandhills..

The weather service reported: "STORMS INITIALLY FORMED OVER SOUTHEASTERN CHERRY COUNTY AND NORTHERN HOOKER COUNTY...WHERE SEVERAL REPORTS OF HAIL...SOME AS LARGE AS TENNIS BALLS IN SIZE WERE OBSERVED. THE STORMS CONTINUED TO THE SOUTH...WHERE CONTINUED REPORTS OF LARGE HAIL WAS RECEIVED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. ALSO...A FUNNEL CLOUD WAS OBSERVED 11 SOUTHWEST OF MULLEN FROM THIS STORM. THE STORM CONTINUED SOUTH INTO PORTIONS OF KEITH...MCPHERSON AND LINCOLN COUNTIES AND EXHIBITED STRONG ROTATION ON RADAR...WHILE NO TORNADOES WERE REPORTED...ONCE AGAIN VERY LARGE HAIL WAS OBSERVED," according to meteorologist Shawn Jacobs.

In the Mullen vicinity, hail measuring from 1 inch to 1.75 inch were reported at different localities. Hail reaching an inch in size was also reported in central Brown county, eastward to south of Bassett and into western Holt county, near Amelia.

Reports of this storm can be visually noted on a map of the local storm reports.

A severe storm also occurred in the Valentine NWR area on July 28th, Nenneman said. Details of this storm are not available.

August Weather

A severe storm of long duration occurred from central Cherry county eastward to northern Holt county on August 8th. Hail that measured 1.5 inches in diameter were reported by the public in the Valentine area. A wind gust at nearby Merritt Reservoir reached 60 m.p.h., with hail to the westward measuring from pea-sized to an estimated 1.5 inch diameter. Southeast of the refuge, in the immediate vicinity of the refuge, the public reported "golf ball sized hail accompanied by damaging winds estimated to be in excess of 60 m.p.h.," according to the weather service report.

Although there is very little direct evidence of bird mortality from this weather, the information from the June storm at the refuge, indicates that hail did cause bird deaths. Similar mortality could be expected from the other severe storms mentioned that had large hail, so there likely has been ongoing and repeated instances of bird deaths occurring throughout the summer breeding season.